Cascade Grain plant to reopen

Cascade Grain plant in Washington could come back into operation over the next couple of months after being shut down in 2009 because of bankruptcy.

JH Kelly Ethanol, a JV between The Industrial Company and JH Kelly Holdings, acquired the plant back in December 2009 and at the time JH Kelly’s president Mason Evans said: ‘We were very disappointed when Cascade Grain succumbed to the downturn in the ethanol market, as did many ethanol plants across the country, but we know the plant is well built and is capable of producing high quality product at name-plate capacity.’

The company has since invested $20 million (€15 million) to upgrade the plant and the 44 acre facility is now expected to employ 70 people.

The site will produce 108 million gallons of ethanol a year and unlike when the plant was first put into operation, the ethanol will not have high levels if sulphate, which rendered previous production useless.

The company is also importing water for plant use because previously the groundwater used had too much iron and other minerals in its makeup.

As part of the upgrade, JH Kelly also replaced pumps and motors at the facility.